Photos: Shahzadeh Garden in Mahan, Kerman The magnificent Shahzadeh garden, located in Kerman desert, and known as "a corner in heaven" has been registered on UNESCO's World Heritage List as one of the masterpieces of traditional gardens. -Hamid Sadeghi - 6/30/11

Iranian Deputy Confirms Attack On Women's Swimming Pool An Iranian parliament deputy has confirmed that a raid at a women's public swimming pool in Tehran that police had earlier denied did in fact happen. About a week ago, several men reportedly raided the pool where they harassed and filmed the women there. - 6/30/11

Germany fumes over arrest of Iranian photojournalist German authorities have expressed "outrage" over last week's arrest of Iranian sports photojournalist Maryam Majd, who was detained by Iranian authorities one day before she was supposed to travel to Germany to cover the Women's World Cup of Soccer. - 6/30/11

Saudi Oil Threat To Iran Rings Hollow When Saudi Arabia's one-time intelligence supremo warned that Riyadh was considering using its vast oil wealth as a weapon against neighboring Iran, it appeared that the lingering cold war between the two rival Gulf powers was about to heat up. -Robert Tait, RFE - 6/30/11

US Sanctions Syrian, Iranian Police for Syria Crackdown The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions against a Syrian police unit and key Iranian security officials in connection with Syria's lethal crackdown on protestors. U.S. officials accuse Iran of providing material support for Syrian repression. - 6/30/11

Washington's Favorite TerroristsIn the 10 years that I have lived in Washington, I have never seen lobbyists for al-Qaeda parade through the halls of Congress. I have not seen any events on Capitol Hill organized by Hamas. And I have not seen any American politicians take campaign contributions from the Islamic Jihad. -Trita Parsi, Huffington Post - 6/30/11

Iranian car lines keep rolling despite sanctions"I think the sanctions make us stronger," said Amirshahab Yarian, one of the 25,000 workers at Iran Khodro's main plant just outside Tehran, as sparks flew into the air from robot welders on one production line producing 30 car bodies per hour. -Reuters - 6/30/11

Photos: The Beautiful Village of Baltarak in Roudsar, Iran Baltarak is an old and beautiful village close to the town of Roudsar in northern Iran. The residents of Baltarak are not mostly reside in towns. The pleasant climate of this village, however, offers them a good escape from the summer heat. So they usually come back to the village towards the end of spring and stay there till the start of the cold season. -Abouzar Bazri - 6/29/11

Persian Garden added to UNESCO's World Heritage List The Persian garden was registered on UNESCO's World Heritage List on Monday. The decision to register the property on the list was made during the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee, which opened in Paris on June 19. The meeting comes to an end today. - 6/29/11

Jailed Iranian Journalist's Health 'Deteriorating' The wife of jailed Iranian journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi says his health is deteriorating and he has lost a great deal of weight. Mahdieh Mohammadi told Radio Farda on June 27 that Zeidabadi has lost about 10 kilos in the past month and may be seriously ill, but is not allowed to leave the prison for medical tests. - 6/29/11

Book: The Education of Women and The Vices of Men - Two Qajar Tracts At the close of the nineteenth century, modern ideas of democracy and equality were slowly beginning to take hold in Iran. Exposed to European ideas about law, equality, and education, upper- and middle-class men and women increasingly questioned traditional ideas about the role of women and their place in society. - 6/29/11

Two Killed, Two Injured at Tehran Oil Refinery Two Iranian engineers died during testing at the Tehran Refinery. Mehr News Agency reports the incident occurred on Tuesday at 3:30 PM local time. Last month, an explosion occurred at the Abadan Refinery in southwestern Iran during a visit by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. -Zamaneh - 6/29/11

Iranian Power Plants Suffer Natural Gas Shortage Iran's Ministry of Power is concerned about gas shortages at Iranian power plants and is calling on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to intervene. According to the ministry, 15 power plants are currently without gas and are running on liquid fuel, but liquid fuel reserves are also running low. -Zamaneh - 6/29/11

Photos: Iran Test Fires 14 MissilesIran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps test-fired 14 missiles on Tuesday during the second day of the first stage of Great Prophet 6 war game, says Colonel Ali Asghar Qelichkhani. - 6/28/11

Iranian Political Prisoners End Hunger StrikeTwelve Iranian political prisoners have heeded opposition pleas and ended their hunger strike at Evin Prison. The Kaleme website reports that the prisoners, who had refused food since June 18 to protest the death of two other political prisoners, ended their strike on Sunday June 26. - 6/28/11

U.S. Space Entrepreneur Accused of Aiding Iran Satellite LaunchAn American space and satellite entrepreneur has been accused of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran by secretly negotiating a deal with Russia that led to the 2005 launch of the first Iranian-owned satellite, according to news reports. -Space.com - 6/28/11

US Expands List of Human Trafficking ViolatorsThe United States on Monday sharply increased the number of countries said to be failing to meet minimum international standards in the fight against human trafficking. Lebanon, Venezuela and several African states are among the new countries given failing grades in the State Department's annual report on trafficking. - 6/28/11

Iran Unveils Missile Silos as It Begins War GamesIran unveiled underground silos on Monday that would make its missiles less vulnerable to attack, marking the country's latest show of force in the long standoff with the West over its nuclear program. -NY Times - 6/28/11

Iran Exports 20 Kg of Rosa Damascena Oil Annually Iran exports 15 to 20 Kilograms of Rosa Damascena Oil a year mostly to Germany, Switzerland, France, United Sates and Malaysia. The product is mostly used for producing high quality perfumes and cosmetics but it is also very good for pain relief, heart disease and skin care. - 6/27/11

Iran to send monkey into space in August Iran's Space Organization plans to send a live monkey into space onboard a rocket called Kavoshgar-5 (explorer-5) in August, organization chief Hamid Fazeli announced on Monday. - 6/27/11

Iran: Woman detained for human rights activism Iranian human rights activist, Mansoureh Behkish , was arrested on 12 June 2011. She is a member of the 'Mourning Mothers' group , which campaigns against human rights violation ssuch as unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances . She is at risk of torture or other ill-treatment. - 6/27/11

Reason for Ahmadinejad's Absence at Supreme Leader's Meeting The crisis between Ahmadinejad supporters and the regime leadership in Tehran is expanding by the day. The arrest of Ahmadinejad's four close allies and his absence at a meeting that ayatollah Khamenei had with visiting Afghan President Karzai last week may be more signs of the return of the domestic crises and the concluding phase of the confrontation -Arash Bahmani, Rooz - 6/27/11

After the "west"The emergent reality of an interconnected world requires a new understanding of security which moves beyond the ideas of the "west vs the rest" and the "clash of civilisations", says Arshin Adib-Moghaddam. -Open Democracy - 6/27/11

Lives of Hunger Striking Iranian Political Prisoners in Peril Iran's pattern of prison abuse and neglect demonstrates that the lives of prisoners of conscience are at risk, theInternational Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said on June 24th, with the publication of a new report, Death in Prison: No One Held Accountable. - 6/26/11

Tehran Anti-Terror Conference Ends Work with Final Statement The International Conference on Global Fight against Terrorism ended up work here in Tehran on Sunday after issuing a final statement. The final statement was read by the Iranian Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, in the closing ceremony of the two-day conference this afternoon. -FNA - 6/26/11

The Simple, Simple Wedding Of Ahmadinejad's Son Blogger Javad Matin, a supporter of Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, has written in his blog about the wedding of Ahmadinejad's second son, Alireza Ahmadinejad. The event Matin describes is a far cry from the usual lavish wedding ceremonies one sees in the Iranian capital. -Golnaz Esfandiari RFE - 6/26/11

Iran fires football officials after big failure in Olympic qualifications Iran's three top football officials were fired for dereliction of duty on Sunday as the national squad suffered an early exit from the Olympic qualification race. The officials were involved in a curious incident in which Iran football Olympic team failed to qualify for the 2012 London Olympic Games. - 6/26/11

Sentence reduced for jailed Iranian lawyer Mohammad Seifzadeh, one of the founders of the Human Rights Defenders Centre, has had his sentence reduced to two years from the nine years handed out by the preliminary court. -Zamaneh - 6/26/11

Iran: Five Hunger Striking Political Prisoners Treated at Infirmary Five of the 12 Iranian political prisoners on hunger strike at Evin Prison have been transferred to the infirmary, according to the Kaleme opposition website. Abdollah Momeni, Mohsen Aminzadeh, Abolfazl Ghadiani, Mehdi Karimian Eghbal and Bahman Ahmadi Amouyi have been transferred to the Ward 350 infirmary after more than a week without food. - 6/25/11

Iran's President Ahmadinejad Could Face Impeachment In a single day earlier this week, the Iranian parliament dealt three blows to the presidency of Mahmud Ahmadinejad, who has become a political punching bag as the result of a continuing power struggle with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The battle has heated up over Ahmadinejad's repeated attempts to make inroads into Khamenei's spheres of influence. - 6/25/11

Letter by Families of Political Prisoners to UN's Special Rapporteur On Human Rights In Iran In a letter to the UN's special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, the families of a number of political prisoners currently on hunger strike have expressed concerns over the health of their loved ones in prison. They have urged the investigator "to travel to Iran and monitor the situation of the twelve prisoners and the condition of other political prisoners in Iran." - 6/25/11

Designation of Iran Air on OFAC's SDN List and Restrictions for Iranian Americans The inclusion of Iran Air on OFAC's SDN list means that U.S. persons - United States citizens and permanent residents (anywhere in the world) and anyone who is "physically" in the United States (regardless of immigration status) - may not engage in financial and commercial dealings with Iran Air without first obtaining a specific license from OFAC. - 6/25/11

NIAC Deeply Concerned by Civilian Airline Sanctions NIAC is deeply concerned about today's announcement of United States sanctions against Iran Air. These sanctions fail to target the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and instead will punish and further isolate ordinary Iranians. - 6/25/11

Iran says new US sanctions exemplify serious violation of international law Iran's ambassador to the United Nations has strongly criticized the United States for adopting new unilateral sanctions against Iran, saying the sanctions constitute a serious violation of U.S. obligations under the provisions of international law on the non-applicability of sanctions against civilians. - 6/25/11

Iran, 2nd major petchem producer in Persian Gulf Iran is the second major petrochemicals producer in the Persian Gulf region with 27 percent share of total products. Saudi Arabia with 50 percent share is the biggest producer, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported. - 6/25/11

Prisoners urge UN investigator to visit Iranian prisons Six Iranian political prisoners held at Rejaishahr Prison in Karaj have urged Ahmad Shaheed, the United Nations special rapporteur for Iran, to inspect Iranian prisons. Saham News reports that the prisoners have also called on Shaheed to visit their families. - 6/24/11

U.S. Sanctions Iran's National Airline The U.S. Treasury has said it has blacklisted a major Iranian port operator and the country's national airline, Iran Air. The actions target two key segments of Iran's transport infrastructure that the Treasury said are being used to aid Tehran's efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction. - 6/24/11

Tehran gallery showcases Rashin Kheirieh's "Cat-Me" Illustrator Rashin Kheirieh is displaying her own impressions of cats in an exhibition of paintings and video art entitled "Cat-Me" at Tehran's Vaali Gallery featuring the peaceful coexistence of cats and women. - 6/24/11

Accepting UN investigator against Iranian policy: Judiciary Chief The head of Iran's judiciary says welcoming the United Nations rapporteur on human rights would not be in line with Islamic Republic policy. On Friday, June 17, Ahmad Shaheed, a former Maldives foreign minister, was appointed as special rapporteur on human rights for Iran. - 6/24/11

Iranian MPs want candidate reps supervising election The Iranian establishment has been greatly concerned about the parliamentary election set for next March. The conservative elite refers to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's chief of staff as the leader of a "deviant current" that is trying to derail the Islamic Republic by weakening the "clergy and the supreme leadership." - 6/24/11

The Turkey-Brazil-Iran Deal, One Year Later In May 2010, through intensive diplomatic efforts in Tehran, Turkey and Brazil brokered an agreement for Iran to give up over one ton of its nuclear fuel in exchange for fuel to produce medical isotopes. But the deal, known as the "Tehran Declaration," was ultimately rejected by the U.S. -NIAC - 6/24/11

UN Sees Decline In Afghan Opium Production But Predicts Rise Despite a sharp decline in opium production in 2010 and a modest reduction in coca cultivation, the global manufacturing of heroin and cocaine remains at significantly high levels, according to a new report from the United Nation's Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). - 6/24/11

Iran: Two political prisoners on hunger strike receive treatment Two of the 12 Iranian political prisoners on a hunger strike in Evin Prison were taken to the infirmary, an opposition website reports. Kaleme reports that on the fifth day of their hunger strike, Abdollah Momeni and Abolfazl Ghadiani were sent to the infirmary after a sharp decline in their health. - 6/23/11

Iranian Female Photojournalist Missing A female sports photojournalist who had campaigned for Iranian women to be allowed to attend men's soccer games is missing amid reports she has been taken into custody in Tehran, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports. - 6/23/11

USC Names Dr. Peyman Nojoumian its New Assistant Professor of Persian University of Southern California Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences has named Dr. Peyman Nojoumian as assistant professor of the teaching of Persian. The addition of Nojoumian to the new Middle East Studies Program at USC has been made possible through funds donated by Farhang Foundation as part of its Iranian Studies Initiative at USC. - 6/23/11

New Iranian Nuke "Fairytale" Uncovered A shadowy figure, calling himself "Beecham" has contacted intelligence agencies in the west, claiming proof of Iran's payment into a Swiss bank of 8.5 tons of gold. His claim, that this is payment for 3 missing American thermonuclear weapons is an old story, a fairly tale from the past, re-concocted to support an attack on Iran. -Gordon Duff, Veterans Today - 6/23/11

Iran, Ukraine To Jointly Build Aircrafts Ukraine and Iran will jointly manufacture 78 Antonov-148 aircraft for an unspecified Iranian customer, with all of the planes to roll off assembly lines by the end of 2011, a top Ukrainian aviation official said. - 6/23/11

A Divine Wind Blows Against Iran's PresidentPresident Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, seeking to repair a politically reckless rift with the country's supreme leader that is leaving him isolated and embattled, recently portrayed their relationship as one of "father and son." Conservative clerics, convinced that the ambitious, messianic president remains determined to supplant them, rebuked Mr. Ahmadinejad for elevating his own station. -NY Times - 6/23/11

Iran Human Rights Activist Speaks After Release One of Iran's most outspoken human rights activists, released on Monday, has told Amnesty International that his freedom isn't the end of the story, because many Iranians remain unjustly imprisoned. When freed, Baghi said he told the other prisoners "although I am going, half my existence is still imprisoned with you". - 6/22/11

Scholars Ponder Question: Why Not an Iran Spring? Since the beginning of this year, a number of Arab states have experienced protests and calls for significant reforms. Two of these nations, Tunisia and Egypt, saw their leaders toppled. Meanwhile, Iran has seen very little recent public dissent against its regime despite massive protests two years ago after a controversial presidential election. In Washington, scholars gathered recently to discuss why Iran has not seen a so-called "Spring" of change. - 6/22/11

Photos: An Amazing Iranian Worker Nader Fallah is a 22-year-old worker at Derakhshan plaster factory located in the vicinity of Robat Karim village in Iran's Lorestan province. Fallah enjoys amazing physical strengths and fitness, as displayed in these photos by Nima Dimari. - 6/22/11

Louvre Museum to Create Elahe Mir-Djalali Omidyar Fund to Underwrite New ProgramAmerican Friends of the Louvre announced that it has received a $3 million grant through the generosity of Pierre Omidyar, a member of Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute's Board of Directors and the founder and Chairman of eBay Inc. The grant will be used to create an endowment fund that will support educational and scholarly programs on Persian art and culture. - 6/22/11

PERSIAN LETTERS: 'Let's Not Allow Omar Bashir In Iran' Sudanese President Omar Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes, will reportedly attend a counterterrorism conference that is scheduled to take place in Tehran on June 25 and 26. - 6/22/11

In Iran, a Brotherhood of Doctors and PatientsFew doctors anywhere in the world have done their country a greater service than the Iranian brothers Arash and Kamiar Alaei. Kamiar, who is 37, is currently living in Albany, N.Y., where he is working on a doctorate in public health. Arash, who is 42, is a resident of Tehran's notorious Evin prison - where until recently, Kamiar lived as well. -Tina Rosenberg, NY Times - 6/22/11

Iran: Hunger Strike In Prison, Online Campaign OutsideHunger strike is one of the only ways for Iranian political prisoners to protest, but it is a dangerous one. Since June 18, 12 well known political prisoners have gone on a hunger strike to protest the death of two fellow prisoners: women's rights activist Haleh Sahabi and journalist Hoda Saber. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 6/21/11

Iranians Though it is still springtime, like a ladybird taking refuge into a safe corner to let the winter pass, i keep receiving these FWDs about what an apathetic, indifferent, selfish, unconcerned, in one word 'none-entity' we have become as a nation which Once Upon a Time.... -Roya Monajem, Tehran - 6/21/11

Book: Iran at War, by Kaveh FarrokhKaveh Farrokh is an expert on Persian languages and Iranian history whose new book, Iran at War: 1500-1988, provides a full examination of modern Iranian military history. Iran at War begins where Shadows in the Desert ended, with the Arab conquest of Persia and the rise of Islam in the mid-7th century. - 6/21/11

Iran Sets Hearing Date for American HikersThe Iranian lawyer for three American hikers accused of spying in Iran said Monday the Tehran government has informed him of the date for his clients' new court hearing. - 6/21/11

US: Action, Not Words Needed from Syria's AssadU.S. officials say the international community, and more importantly the Syrian people, are growing weary of the Syrian leader's promises and that what is needed are reforms and an end to what was called here Mr. Assad's "repulsive" crackdown on dissent. -VOA - 6/21/11

Tourists receive unexpected message of love from Iran A surprise awaited two San Diego travelers on their recent sojourn in Iran: an outpouring of love everywhere they went. "We were besieged, mobbed almost, by whole classrooms of up to 50 or 60 individuals who would come up to us and smother us with hugs and kisses" -Sign On San Diego - 6/21/11

Presidents heading to Tehran for counter-terrorism conference High-ranking officials from more than 60 countries, including several heads of state, have accepted Iran's invitation to attend the Global Campaign against Terrorism Conference, conference secretary general Bahman Taherian-Mobarakeh stated at a press conference in Tehran on Monday. - 6/21/11

Iran says no gasoline imported An official with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) denied the claim of some foreign media sources that Iran has imported gasoline. -MNA - 6/21/11

Photos: Kerman Struggling with 15th Year of Drought The province of Kerman in Iran is now in its 15th year of drought. Kerman, considered one of the agricultural centers in Iran, has been facing one of the most difficult times for over a decade now. Drought is now the biggest problem for a province where about 1/3 of the orchards of the country are located. -Hamid Sadeghi - 6/20/11

As Sanctions Ratchet Up, Iranian Americans Bear Increasing BurdensWith a new push for even more "crippling" Iran sanctions coming out of Congress, and renewed signs from the president that further sanctions may be in the offing, it is more important than ever for Americans, particularly Americans of Iranian descent, to evaluate the unintended impact these sanctions are having here in the U.S. -Jamal Abdi, NIAC - 6/20/11

Iranian Judiciary to Prosecute Gang Rape Suspects While the Iranian judiciary says it intends to take severe action against the perpetrators of a gang rape in a village near Kashmar, the local Friday Prayers Imam, Ghassem Yaghoubi reports that the rape victim is currently under arrest. - 6/20/11

Conference and Workshop: Shahdad and The Bronze Age in Southwest IranPrehistoric Shahdad is a major Bronze Age centre that was discovered at the edge of Kavire-Lut in 1968. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the late Professor Ali Hakemi of Archaeological Institute of Iran, commenced investigation at Shahdad and supervised intensive excavations for seven consecutive seasons at the site. - 6/20/11

Soccer: Iran defeats Iraq in Olympic qualifier In the match played at the Francousse Al Hareeri Stadium in Arbil City, Iraq, Mohsen Mosalman scored Iran's only goal on the half hour mark in the first leg. The two teams will meet again on June 23 in Tehran's Azadi stadium. - 6/20/11

Reflections of Self: An Online Photography Exhibition by Azadeh Akhlaghi Born in 1978, in Shiraz Azadeh Akhlaghi studied art at RMIT University. She is a conceptual artist who began her career in 2001. Akhlaghi's main concerns are photography, video-arts and short movies. Akhlaghi's practice acknowledges conceptual approaches to contemporary art through photography. -gallery mamak - 6/20/11

Impact of U.S. Sanctions Against Iran on YouThe Asian Law Caucus has released a Know-Your-Rights publication on the Iranian Transactions Regulations (Iran Sanctions), which are the most relevant sanctions program in restricting commercial and financial dealings with Iran. - 6/19/11

Why Regime Change in Libya? In light of the brutal death and destruction wrought on Libya by the relentless US/NATO bombardment, the professed claims of "humanitarian concerns" as grounds for intervention can readily be dismissed as a blatantly specious imperialist ploy in pursuit of "regime change" in that country. -Ismael Hossein-zadeh - 6/19/11

World Saffron Consumption Supplied by Iran "Over 96% of the world saffron production belongs to Iran, but the world knows this farming product under the name of Spain because Iranian producers have for years exported their product to Spain in bulk, where it is packaged under a different name," president of the Trade Organization of Iran's Southern Khorassan province Nadder Mirshekar said, lamenting the Iranian producers' poor attention to packaging. - 6/19/11

Ghazal Khatibi's Exhibition: ... It Will Be In The News Soon The visual world of Ghazal Khaitibi is filled with games and humor which is rooted in the seriousness and prejudice of the real world. "Mad World" is the first phrase that can describe her visual world and its interaction with her surrounding - 6/19/11

Iran Dissidents Call For UN Protection After Attack Maryam Rajavi of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization, (MKO, aka People's Mujahedin of Iran) told followers at a rally in France that having UN monitors at Camp Ashraf in Iraq was the best way to protect the people living there. - 6/19/11

Syria Expands Crackdown on Dissent Syrian tanks stormed the town of Bdama near the border with Turkey Saturday, wreaking destruction, according to witnesses. Residents of the border region also continue to flee to neighboring Turkey, which is housing them in several refugee camps. - 6/19/11

Another IAAB First: Camp Ayandeh JAVAN! In response to widespread demand from parents in the Iranian American community, IAAB is pleased to announce Camp Ayandeh JAVAN, a middle school leadership camp for Iranian Americans. - 6/18/11

Iran, Long Seen As An Economic Basket Case, Wins Praise From IMFIf you were seeking endorsement of Iran's economic policies, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) hardly seems like the ideal reference point. The Washington-based institution is, after all, renowned for zealously promoting programs of public spending cuts and economic liberalization. Iran, meanwhile -- at least under President Mahmud Ahmadinejad -- has repeatedly forecast the imminent end of the global capitalist system. -Robert Tait, RFE - 6/18/11

A blonde in Iran Two Wings of A Nightingale - Persian Soul, Islamic Heart is a road trip through Iran. Along with the 8000 kilometres plus that I travelled through the country before I wrote the book, it's felt like I've trudged another few thousand kilometres to see the manuscript transformed into a book that's actually now for sale! - 6/18/11

Shocking Confidential Report Admits to Iranian TV's Provocation of Post-Election Uprising The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has obtained an exclusive copy of a confidential report prepared by a sub-division of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), in which the IRIB's performance following the 2009 presidential election is seriously criticized and the network is held responsible for widespread protests arising from the announcement of the election results. - 6/18/11

Persian Classical Concert: Sepideh Raissadat and Iman Vaziri to perform in Los Angeles Persian classical vocalist and musician Sepideh Raissadat will be touring the U.S. for the first time this summer together with tar virtuoso Iman Vaziri. They will be accompanied by various guest artists at each show during this four-city tour. Dara Faraz on tonbak will be joining the Ensemble in Los Angeles, which will take place at the Skirball Cultural Center's Magnin Auditorium on Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 7 p.m. - 6/18/11

Bush White House Implicated in Smear Campaign Against NIAC Advisory Board Member University of Michigan professor and NIAC Advisory Board Member Juan Cole has been the target of smear campaigns in the past due to his criticism of neoconservative Middle East policies, particularly the Iraq war. But now, the New York Times is reporting that the Bush White House and the Central Intelligence Agency may have been directly involved in efforts to discredit Professor Cole. -NIAC - 6/18/11

Photos: Morality Police Deploy in Tehran - Men Banned From Wearing Necklaces! Thousands of special forces have been deployed in Tehran's streets, participating in the regime's "moral security plan" in which loose-fitting headscarves, tight overcoats and shortened trousers that expose skin will not be tolerated for women, while men are warned against glamorous hairstyles and wearing a necklace. - 6/17/11

Iranian Student Group Demands Punishment For Dorm Raid Tehran University's Islamic Association has published an open letter to the head of the country's judiciary demanding punishment for those involved in a violent raid on university dormitories two years ago -RFE - 6/17/11

Time Is On Our Side According to reports from Iran, due to the very heavy presence of security forces on key streets and squares in Tehran, the silent march to mark the second anniversary of the electoral coup, or the rebirth of the people's movement, attracted only some thousands of people, who were outnumbered by security forces easily, and who were dispersed, while some were arrested. -Reza Fiyouzat - 6/17/11

Another Iranian Sentenced To Prison Over Facebook Activities Several Iranian news websites are reporting that Mostafa Akhavan, a student pilot and member of the National Trust party (established by opposition leader Mehdi Karrubi in 2005) has been sentenced to one year in prison on security- related charges connected to his activities on Facebook. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 6/17/11

Iranian authorities try to make humanities more Islamic Iran's deputy science minister says transforming the humanities into Islamic human sciences is harder than sending a human into space. According to ISNA, Mohammad Mehdinejad Nouri said that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has called for universities to become more Islamic and for the humanities to be infused with Islamic values. - 6/17/11

Power Portraits Capture World Leaders when New Yorker staff photographer Platon Antoniou - who uses just his first name professionally - embarked on a journey to capture images of world leaders, he wanted to discover the personalities behind the public faces. He also wanted to explore power. - Faiza Elmasry, VOA - 6/17/11

Ahmadinejad aides targeted by Iran Parliament Iran's Parliament announced that it has received a series of reports questioning the actions of Esfandiar Rahim Mashai and Hamid Baghai, two chief presidential aides to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. - 6/17/11

Iran may cancel $5B gas deal with China Iran warned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) if it doesn't fulfill its obligations on developing phase 11 of the South Pars gas field, the contract would be cancelled. - 6/17/11

Photos: Life at the Village of Sobatan in Talesh, Iran The village of Sobatan is located 32km northwest of the city of Talesh in the Iranian province of Gilan. Due to its unique geography and the pleasant climate, Sobatan is among the few villages frequented by the travelers in the province. -Mojib Mohammadi - 6/16/11

Iran's Green Movement has actually achieved its goalCelebrated in June 2009 as a model of nonviolent protest against autocracy, the Iranian Green Movement has lost much of its strength and mobilizing capacity inside Iran while the Arab Spring has toppled regimes across the region. -Ramin Jahanbegloo, CSM - 6/16/11

AIPAC Pushes Hard for War With Iran In a lengthy, rambling monologue delivered to independent reporter Robert Dreyfuss, Weissman breaks a long silence to declare he's "concerned that if a confrontation between the United States, Israel, and Iran leads to war, it will be a disaster -- one that Weissman fears will be blamed on the American Jews." -Grant Smith, antiwar - 6/16/11

Iran Not to Reduce Oil Production: Caretaker Oil Minister Iranian caretaker Oil Minister Mohammad Ali Abadi announced that Tehran will not decrease its oil production given the discovery of new oil reserves in the country. Ali Abadi added, "We try to maintain the current oil reserves and use new resources to not decrease the country's output." -FNA - 6/16/11

Cellmates Say Iranian Deceased Journalist Beaten Prior to Death Sixty-four Iranian political prisoners from Ward 350 of Evin Prison have issued an announcement declaring that Reza Hoda Saber, the jailed Iranian journalist who died on Saturday following nearly 10 days on a hunger strike, was severely beaten by authorities on the eighth day of his strike. - 6/15/11

PARSA CF Awards $437,000 to Arts and Media Projects As a part of its Mehrgan 2010 Grant Cycle, PARSA Community Foundation is pleased to announce grants to arts and media projects including film, print, and music. PARSA CF recognizes the importance of such efforts in interacting with a broader audience, introducing the rich culture of Iran to the rest of the world, and building a stronger foundation for cultural understanding between Iranians, Iranian diaspora and the global community. - 6/15/11

Iran's 2009 Presidential Election Anniversary: People Came The day when news on Iran was expected to be led by stories about people's protest demonstrations to commemorate the rigged 2009 presidential election began with the unexpected death of Hoda Saber in Evin prison, giving supporters of the Green Movement another reason to gather a peaceful march. -Kayvan Bozorgmehr, Rooz - 6/15/11

Tehran Casts A Cold Eye Over U.S. Shadow Internet Efforts Iran has warned the United States over efforts to deploy shadow Internet services in repressive countries such as the Persian Gulf state, where the Internet is heavily censored, and said it would lead to a backlash against the U.S. - 6/15/11

AIPAC from the Inside - Part 1: Isolating IranIn August 2005, two lobbyists with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman, were indicted on charges of illegally conspiring to collect and disseminate classified secrets to journalists and to Israeli diplomats. -Robert Dreyfuss, PBS - 6/15/11

Dance Performance at LACMA: Shatrang va Takhta-i Nard This narrative dance performance, presented by award-winning choreographer Jamal, will explore the origins of chess and backgammon as told in the Iranian national epic the Shahnama and featured in the exhibition, Gifts of the Sultan: The Arts of Giving at the Islamic Courts. - 6/15/11

Ahmadinejad Joins China, Russia Leaders At Regional Summit Ahmadinejad, speaking at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Kazakh capital, Astana, called for a new world order to replace the current one, which he said was "managed and run by slavers and colonizers of the past." - 6/15/11

Iran Denies Role in Syria Crackdown Iran has rejected allegations from Britain and the United States that it is helping Syria crack down on domestic opposition with advice, equipment, and training. Iran remains a key Syrian ally, with the two governments finding common ground on such issues as Israel, Lebanon and Iraq. - 6/15/11

Iran: Ahmadinejad Selects Minister Of Sports, Reluctantly The president reiterated his opposition to the creation of the sports ministry, saying he is convinced it will harm the Iranian sports community and its future endeavors. However, because he does not wish to see sports and athletes unduly affected by any controversy, Ahmadinejad said he is bowing to Parliament's demand to establish the ministry, nominating Sajjadi as its chief. -Zamaneh - 6/15/11

Iranian opposition calls for more peaceful gatherings Iranian opposition groups have called on people to join peaceful gatherings in the main squares of cities across the country on Wednesday June 15. The Kaleme website reports that the Coordination Council of the Green Path of Hope has also invited people to visit the graves of the "martyrs" of the Green movement on Thursday, June 16. - 6/14/11

In Iran, 'couch rebels' prefer FacebookTwo years ago, Iranian activists used social media sites as engines to organize massive anti-government demonstrations. But now, activists say, the limitless freedoms available online are proving to be a distraction from real-world dissent. -Thomas Erdbrink, Washington Post - 6/14/11

Worldwide outrage at Iran's attack on Baha'i educators The government of Austria, more than 80 prominent Indians, and top academics from the United Kingdom, are among the latest to voice their support for Iranian Baha'is' right to education. Human rights groups have also joined the call for the release of imprisoned Baha'i educators. -BWNS - 6/14/11

Iran Without NukesRemember Iran? I do. It's been two years since the Iranian people rose up to protest a stolen election with a bravery that stirred the world and presented Americans with a truer image of a young and highly educated nation than the old specter of the bearded Islamic zealot. The Green Movement was suppressed through barbaric violence but its example helped kindle the Arab Spring. -Roger Cohen, NY Times - 6/14/11

Silent Tehran Protesters Arrested On Anniversary Of Disputed Vote Arrests and clashes have been reported in Tehran on the anniversary of the disputed 2009 reelection of Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad that led to mass street protests. Opposition websites and witnesses say dozens were arrested in the Iranian capital on June 12 while marching silently to mark the anniversary. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 6/13/11

Iranian security forces delay burial of activist Iranian security forces held up the burial of Reza Hoda Saber this morning, surrounding the family and mourners in anticipation of outbursts of protest against the death of the jailed activist, an opposition website reports. - 6/13/11

CRYING WOLF, AGAIN? As the new threats of an attack on Iran, this time supposedly between June and September this year, loom larger, I have little doubt that the goal posts will be pushed back once again. As I have said, Iran as an existing threat serves the purpose much better than a friendly or a defeated Iran. An existing regional pariah serves Israel's interests and agendas perfectly well. -Kam Zarrabi - 6/13/11

Breakfast in Tehran: Exhibition in London by Contemporary Iranian Women Breakfast in Tehran will be a chance to see a selection of drawings, collage, photography, video and printmaking from a group of new and established Iranian artists living in Iran and exhibiting in London together for the first time. The exhibition considers the representation of women in contemporary Iranian art, and demonstrates how accepted images and interpretations of femininity are being subverted. - 6/13/11

Iranian Protesters Mark '09 ElectionTens of thousands of Iranians marked the second anniversary of the 2009 turbulent presidential elections that sparked an uprising with a nationwide silent march against the government on Sunday. On the eve of the protest on Saturday night, chants of "God is great" and "Death to dictator" shouted from rooftops rocked many neighborhoods across Tehran, witnesses said. -Farnaz Fassihi, WSJ - 6/13/11

The Wonderful Cafe Mahtab in Tehran Not many people outside Tehran know that the capital of Iran hosts several nice coffee shops that not only provide the usual refreshment and food, but often organize art exhibitions and other performances as well. - Anna Vanzan - 6/13/11

US Woman Fights to Save Cheetahs Laurie Marker is the founder and executive director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund. CCF is also working with the government of Iran - home to less than 100 cheetahs - to double that number within the next 10 years. - 6/13/11

Iranian Opposition Leader's Adviser to Give Speech at UCLA Dr. Ardeshir Amir Arjmand, senior advisor to Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, will give a speech in UCLA on June 26, 2011. Amir Arjmand is the Spokesperson for the Coordination Committee for the Green Path of Hope. - 6/13/11

Jailed Iranian Activist Dies After Hunger Strike The sister of prominent Iranian journalist and rights activist Reza Hoda Saber has confirmed her jailed brother's death following a 10-day hunger strike, according to RFE/RL's Radio Farda. Saber had been transferred to a hospital from Tehran's Evin prison, where he had been held since being imprisoned along with hundreds of other activists and intellectuals in the wake of Iran's disputed June 2009 election. - 6/12/11

Iran: Anxiety Over Infiltration by "Strayers from the Path As differences between Iran's leader Ali Khamenei and president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad went public, past supporters of the government became the president's critics who now warn of the influence of his aides among Revolutionary Guards and particularly the Basij para-military force. -Bahram Rafiei, Rooz - 6/12/11

Iran calls for space cooperation with Russia The Iranian Space Agency has requested Russia to cooperate with Iran in building new generation of satellites and sending astronauts into space, the Mehr News Agency reported on Sunday. - 6/12/11

In Age Of Arab Revolution, Iran's Election Anniversary Set To Go Off With A Whimper Two years ago, it threatened to trigger a wave of dissent that would reverberate around the Middle East and beyond. Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, took to the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities to protest the reelection of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, a poll that opponents claimed was rigged. Yet on June 12, with much of the region in a state of revolutionary ferment, the second anniversary of Iran's bitterly disputed presidential election is likely to pass off as little more than a footnote. -Robert Taiti, RFE - 6/11/11

Ali Daei: My Job Is Done Here Persepolis coach Ali Daei says that his mission with the popular football team has been completed accomplish. Persepolis won Iran's Hazfi Cup on Friday despite a 1-0 loss to Malavan in Bandar Anzali. Persepolis had defeated the Anzali-based team 4-2 in the first leg and claimed the title 4-3 on aggregate. - 6/11/11

Rape and Torture: Legacy of the Post-Election Crackdown On the second anniversary of the disputed June 2009 election and the ensuing repression, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran today released video testimony from a young female detainee describing in detail her severe torture and repeated rape after her arbitrary arrest. - 6/11/11

Alleged Iranian Agent Who Infiltrated Opposition Claims He Met With Hillary Clinton Iran's Intelligence Ministry has claimed it infiltrated the Iranian opposition outside the country and prevented a plan to create what has been described as a "government in exile" supported and promoted by Iran's enemies. The claim was made first in a documentary titled "A Diamond For Deceit," aired on state television on June 8. The Iranian agent who had the lead role in the show was introduced as Mohammad Reza Madhi. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 6/11/11

For Alexendra Monir, Book is Just the Beginning Talent runs deep in 25-year-old Iranian-American Alexandra Monir's family. Given that her grandmother is the late Persian folk and opera singer Monir Vakili, it is perhaps not surprising that she has already released her first, much lauded novel Timeless. - Kia Makarechi, PAAIA - 6/11/11

Syrian refugees say Iranian forces involved in crackdown AFP reports that Iranian troops are in Syria supporting the regime of Beshar Assad, according to injured Syrian refugees in Turkey. The refugees say they were victims of "Iranian military forces," but Iran has dismissed the allegations as "baseless." - 6/11/11

PERSIAN LETTERS: 'God, Please Rescue Him' The sister of blogger Hossein Derakhshan, whose 19.5-year prison sentence was confirmed last week by an appeals court in Iran, has reacted on "Justice For Hossein Derakhshan," the blog which the family launched last year. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 6/11/11

New Iranian Ministry Ruled Illegal Iran's Guardian Council says the proposed bill for establishing the Ministry of Infrastructure by the government is against the country's Constitution. -Press TV - 6/11/11

Iraq bars U.S. visit to Iranian campIraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told a visiting U.S. congressional delegation Friday that it could not visit a camp of Iranian dissidents where 34 people died in clashes with Iraqi security forces in April, the delegation's head said. -Washington Post - 6/11/11

Photos: Village of Sobatan, Talesh The village of Sobatan is located 32km northwest of the city of Talesh in the Iranian province of Gilan. Due to its unique geography and the pleasant weather, Sobatan is among the few villages frequented by the travelers in the province. -Fatemeh Behboudi - 6/10/11

US Imposes Sanctions on Iran's Police Chief, Government EntitiesTwo years ago this month, Iranian authorities violently cracked down on protests in the wake of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election victory. On Thursday, the United States imposed sanctions against three government entities and one individual for their connections to human rights abuses in Iran. -VOA - 6/10/11

Iran: End the banning and harassment of independent trade unions Independent trade unionists in Iran are imprisoned for speaking out about labour rights while independent workers' bodies face ongoing repression Amnesty International said today, as it called on the Tehran authorities to respect basic social and economic freedoms. - 6/10/11

Caspian Sea to become energy hub: Iranian Official"The Caspian oil and gas resources remain intact and the region will have an impact on global markets once its oil and gas reserves are extracted in the future," IRNA quoted Hossein Esmaili, the director general of the Iranian Oil Ministry's European, American and Caspian Sea Littoral States Affairs, as saying on Friday. - 6/10/11

Questions Grow Over Afghanistan's Post-U.S. Future Questions abound over what Afghanistan will look like once U.S. forces start withdrawing. One of the biggest is whether elements of the Taliban can be reintegrated into society to improve the security situation. - 6/10/11

Iran holds second long-lasting oil source: BP Iran has oil reserves to last for the next 88 years and is the second long-lasting oil source in the world , according to the latest annual BP Statistical Review of World Energy. - 6/10/11

Photos: Cooling Off In A Muddy StreamThese photos, captured by photographer Amin Nazari, show children in the city of Shadegan, located in Iran's southwestern province of Khouzestan, taking a break from the heat in the muddy waters of a stream. - 6/9/11

Exhibition of Portraits of Iranian Women after Unveiling: Men Are Not AllowedAn exhibition of portraits of Iranian Women after removal of obligation of wearing chador under the reign of Pahlavi I, titled Before Your Eyes was held in May 2011 at No.6 Gallery in Tehran. The collection was compiled and reproduced by Parisa Mandan, photographer, researcher and teacher. -Tahereh Emami, Tavoos - 6/9/11

Mashad's Prison Is Hell, Says Political Prisoner's Wife Hashem Khastar, leader of the Mashad Teachers Union and prisoner at Mashad's Vakilabad Prison, was transferred to the ward for murder and drug trafficking convicts after publishing a letter exposing the inhumane conditions and secret executions at Vakilabad. - 6/9/11

In Iran, Beware Of New Facebook 'Friends' When Houshang Fanaian joined Facebook last year, little did he expect it would land him in an Iranian prison. That's exactly where he finds himself today, however. In late May, the 47-year-old Baha'i had one year tacked on to a larger prison sentence due to his activities on the social-networking site. -Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE - 6/9/11

Iran Denies French Claim On Further Enrichment "We inform the IAEA of any act that we carry out regarding enrichment activities and we deny French allegation since the IAEA has verified Iran's nuclear program," Iranian FM told reporters on Thursday on the sidelines of the 4th (Economic Cooperation Organization) ECO environment ministers in Tehran. - 6/9/11

Iranian bloggers denied due process Reporters Without Borders is relieved to learn that the supreme court has overturned software and website designer Saeed Malekpour's death sentence on charges of creating pornographic sites and "insulting Islam's holy principles." - 6/9/11

Iran Unveils Smart Surgical System The domestically-built system could be applied for surgery of ear, pharynx, nose as well as brain and nervous system. The smart surgery system was unveiled in Tehran Medical Science University in a ceremony led by Ahmadinejad. - 6/9/11

Photos: Harvesting Wild Rhubarb in Mashhad Rhubarb is a group of plants that belong to the genus Rheum in the family Polygonaceae. They are herbaceous perennial plants growing from short, thick rhizomes. Although the leaves are toxic, various parts of the plants have culinary and medicinal uses. -Hossein Hosseinzadeh - 6/8/11

"Azadi Square" Action at Iran Mission to the United NationsAmnesty International, in collaboration with the Iranian activist community in NYC and a number of Hollywood luminaries, is carrying out an action on Wednesday, June 8 at the Iran Mission to the United Nations in Manhattan, located at 622 Third Avenue. - 6/8/11

Jailed Iranian Journalist Moved To Solitary Again Mehdi Mahmoudian, the jailed Iranian journalist who recently exposed the prevalence of sexual abuse in Iranian prisons, has been transferred to solitary confinement again. The Tahavol-e Sabz opposition website reports that officials at Rejai Shahr Prison transferred Mahmoudian yesterday without any explanation. - 6/8/11

Iranian police to tighten security over public dress code"Tight clothing for men or women, head scarves that do not properly cover the hair, short and inappropriate outfits, and symbols of deviant movements and satanic groups will be targeted by the officials," Ahmadreza Radan, the deputy commander of the security forces, added. - 6/8/11

The State of Labor in Iran's Oil and Petrochemical Industry In order to be precise, I will focus solely on the labor force in the oil industry... In the period after the Iran-Iraq War, and under the administrations known as "Reconstruction and Reform", one of the most important components of the effort to increase the rate of accumulation of capital was the cheapening of labor power. - 6/8/11

Salt Men of IranIn the winter of 1993, miners came across a body with long red hair and a beard, and associated artefacts, in the Chehrabad salt mines located to the west of the city of Zanjan, Iran. -Past Horizons - 6/8/11

Iran, FIFA Clash Over Hijab Iran is challenging FIFA's decision to ban its women footballers from playing an Olympic qualifier match because of their Islamic dress. Iranian football authorities have threatened to sue the FIFA official who barred Iran's national women's football team from playing against Jordan on June 3 due to the Iranian players' full-body outfits, which include hijabs. -RFE - 6/7/11

Farshid Moussavi Architecture Opens For Business Internationally acclaimed architect Farshid Moussavi announced on June 3rd, 2011 the opening of her new practice, Farshid Moussavi Architecture (FMA). Moussavi has founded her new firm as an international practice based in London. FMA is currently working on a number of prestigious commissions including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland, USA and a Quran Museum in Tehran, Iran. - 6/7/11

NASA Images Of The Day: Dust Storm In Southwest Asia Dust plumes blew over southwestern Asia at the end of May 2011. On May 31, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite captured this natural-color image of dust plumes blowing over the borders of Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Iran lies in the west, Afghanistan in the northeast, and Pakistan in the southeast of the image. - 6/7/11

IAEA Board To Discuss Syria, Iran The issue of Iran's nuclear program will also be high on the agenda. At a news conference in Vienna, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano called on Tehran to work with the IAEA. -RFE - 6/7/11

Iran's homosexuals come out of the closet...everywhere but at home "We are everywhere" proclaimed Iranian homosexuals around the world in a collective online 'coming out' over the past few weeks. They are sending out a message of solidarity, particularly to the homosexuals living in Iran whose sexual preference could cost them their lives. -france24 - 6/7/11

Venezuela freezes relations with U.S. over Iran sanctions Venezuela officially "froze" relations with the United States on Sunday according to a top diplomat from Hugo Chavez's government. Venezuela is striking back after Washington levied sanctions against them for doing business with Iran - commerce the U.S. fears is financing Tehran's nuclear program. -Examiner - 6/7/11

Book: Saved by Beauty: Adventures of an American Romantic in Iran Whenever I think of the color blue, I think first, not of the sea or the sky, but of a dome. A dome in Isfahan, Iran. It lodged itself in my mind some thirty five years ago, one gray afternoon in the British Library, that beautiful building, itself a dome, which at the time housed a few million books and manuscripts on every subject known to man. -Roger Housden - 6/6/11

Photos: Pol Dokhtar Residents Enjoy "Oil Enriched" Drinking Water For over 15 years, the residents of some of the villages around the city of Pol Dokhtar have been fighting with officials to address recurring oil leaks from a pumping station and oil pipes nearby that have polluted the underground water system and the springs in the area. - 6/6/11

Iran Heritage Foundation: Making Connections This film showcases some of IHF's programmes on Persian language, including the 2010 Shahnameh exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge and IHF's Institutional Partnership Programme, which supports Persian studies teaching and curatorial posts at universities and museums. - 6/6/11

Ahmadinejad Postpones Visit To Armenia A visit to Armenia by Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, scheduled to start today, has been postponed. Both Tehran and Yerevan confirmed that the visit has been put off but gave no reason for the postponement. No new date for the visit was announced. - 6/6/11

Israeli Troops Fire at Protesters at Golan Heights Border Israeli troops have opened fire on pro-Palestinian demonstrators who allegedly tried to cross the fence separating Syria from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Syrian state media report at least 20 people were killed. Among those reported killed were a woman and child. - 6/6/11

Protesters dispersed at Service for Haleh Sahabi According to AFP, the protesters had tried to gather in silence outside Tehran's Hosseini Ershad mosque, a traditional site for reformists, but forces used batons and aerial shots to break up the assembly. The report says about 15 people were arrested at the scene. - 6/5/11

Iran's Supreme Leader Backs Ahmadinejad Iran's Supreme Leader has called for unity among Islamic Republic supporters, which is being interpreted as an implicit show of support for embattled President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. - 6/5/11

PAAIA Chapters and Friends Take Nowruz to Local Schools NationwideBuilding on our successful efforts to pass the Nowruz Resolution through both Chambers of Congress in 2010, in mid-March 2011, PAAIA launched its Nowruz Project. The project aimed at providing parents of elementary school children with resources and information they could use to present on the joyous celebration of Nowruz at their children's schools. - 6/5/11

Iran: Where Politics is a Distraction from Making Money Judging by the front pages of Persian language newspapers neatly laid out at every Tehran newsstand, political scandal is in the air. President Ahmadinejad's closest aides, including right-hand man Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, are being accused of embezzlement, cronyism, collaboration with opposition forces, and even pagan rituals thrown in for shock value. -TIME - 6/5/11

Losing the Ego in Tehran"Who sent you here?" Baldy asks his question without seeming concerned for my answer. I am in an interrogation room at Tehran airport. "Nobody sent me here. I am in Iran to research a book." "Do you know your friend in New York is an agent for the CIA? He's using you. Do you work for him or for the State Department?" -Roger Housden, Huffington Post - 6/5/11

Mahram Takes Second Place In FIBA Asia Champions Cup Iran's Mahram lost to Al Riyadi of Lebanon in the final match of the 22nd FIBA Asia Champions Cup on Sunday. Mahram, which was defeated by the Lebanese team in the preliminary round, lost again against the team 89-82 in Manila's PhilSports Arena. - 6/5/11

Photos: Iranian Officials' Display Of Unity In Public Animosities run deep between the top officials, even though they smile for the camera when they appear in public together to display unity. This was once again evident during the annual event held at ayatollah Khomeini's mausoleum in Tehran to mark the death of the founder of the Islamic Republic. - 6/5/11

Iran Says Baha'i University Illegal The Baha'i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE) in Iran has been declared an "illegal" organization by the Ministry of Science and Technology. - 6/5/11

Armenia, Iran to connect railway systems: Ambassador Armenian ambassador to Iran Grigor Arakelyan has said Tehran and Yerevan are determined to link the two countries' railway systems. Arakelyan made the remarks in an interview with IRNA News Agency published on Sunday. - 6/5/11

Thousands Mourn Syrian Protesters Killed on Friday Thousands of people turned out Saturday for the funerals of anti-government protesters killed in unrest in Syria. Syrian rights groups say at least 63 people died Friday as protesters continued to demand the departure of President Bashar al-Assad. - 6/5/11

Jailed Iranian Journalist Beaten In Front Of Relatives The mother of journalist Masoud Bastani, 31, his wife, and mother-in-law witnessed the beating in the Rajaishahr prison in the city of Karaj. "As the visiting hours were drawing to an end, Masoud asked for a couple of more minutes so he could say his goodbyes to us all, then a guard grabbed him by the collar and banged his head against the wall," Bastani's mother, Masoumeh Malouol, told Radio Farda on June 2. - 6/4/11

Take Action: Oppose Congress's Iran War and Oil Embargo Legislation Congress has introduced new proposals that would endorse Israeli military strikes against Iran, impose a virtual oil embargo on the country, and bring the U.S. policy on Iran even closer to the disastrous policies carried out against Iraq leading up to the 2003 invasion. -NIAC - 6/4/11

Parliament challenges Ahmadinejad's choice for Iran's Oil Ministry A day after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad caved into pressure by relinquishing the leadership of the Ministry of Oil and appointing Mohammad Aliabadi as the interim oil minister, the head of Parliament's energy commission has challenged that choice, saying the president has appointed someone with no expertise for such a sensitive role. -Zamaneh - 6/4/11

Turkish Poll Could Result In All-Powerful 'President' Erdogan Last time out, it was about the power of civilian politicians versus the might of the military. This time, it has been about sex -- at least superficially. In a lackluster encounter, the sex scandals that have engulfed a small nationalist party have provided a rare racy focal point in Turkey's forthcoming parliamentary elections on June 12. -Robert Tait, RFE - 6/4/11

Photos: Burial of Iranian Woman Activist Haleh Sahabi in Tehran Iranian woman activist Haleh Sahabi died on Wednesday at the funeral of her dissident father Ezzatollah Sahabi after she was reportedly attacked by the security forces. Haleh was given a speedy burial Wednesday night by Iranian security forces. She was buried at a cemetery in Lavasan, northeast of Tehran. - 6/3/11

Joint Letter to Congress on New Iran Sanctions Bills NIAC and leading Iranian-American, Jewish-American, arms control, human rights, democracy, and pro-peace organizations sent the following letter today calling on Members of the House and Senate to oppose or demand significant changes to new Iran sanctions legislation (H.R.1905 and S.1048): - 6/3/11

Iran's Motorists Get The Hump Over Soaring Camel Prices Of all the multiple hazards confronting Iran's motorists, camels should pale beside the problems posed by other drivers. This after all is a country whose devil-may-care driving culture produces a horrendous accident rate that accounts for an estimated 25,000 deaths a year. -Robert Tait, RFE - 6/3/11

Acts of fear, despotism and tyranny There are times in one's life that, despite all your preparation for not being shocked about a person or a group, they do something that simply make you just say 'My God, How can they!?' -Syma Sayyah - 6/3/11

Report: Iran Releases Trade Union Leader The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) says an Iranian trade union leader was freed on parole today after spending almost four years in prison. - 6/3/11

Ahmadinejad proposes new caretaker for oil ministry Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has caved to pressure and appointed a new caretaker to oversee the Ministry of Oil. Iranian media report that the president has appointed Mohammad Aliabadi. This comes after Parliament filed a motion with the judiciary yesterday, decrying the president for installing himself in the caretaker position. - 6/3/11

Haleh Sahabi given speedy burial Activist Haleh Sahabi, who died yesterday at the funeral of her dissident father, was buried Wednesday night by Iranian security forces. Opposition websites report that the Sahabi family had intended to hold their own ceremony, but security forces took possession of her remains by force and transferred her to Lavasan, northeast of Tehran, for a swift burial. - 6/2/11

Pressure Rises on Iran LeaderIran's president came under new domestic pressure on two fronts with a rare, unified blow against him in parliament and the first significant opposition rally in months, a protest in response to the death of an activist in an assault by security forces Wednesday. About 1,000 protesters turned out for a rally Wednesday night after democracy activists said security forces, attacking the funeral of an opposition figure, killed his daughter. -Farnaz Fassihi, WSJ - 6/2/11

Court Adjourns Hearing On Jailed Iranian Lawyer's License To Practice An Iranian court has indefinitely adjourned a hearing on the revoking of jailed human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh's license to practice law, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports. Sotoudeh represented several people arrested during the unrest that followed the controversial June 2009 presidential election. - 6/2/11

The Real Power Struggle in Tehran Some Iran observers are of the opinion that a genuine power struggle has been triggered in Iran between Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over the reinstatement of an ousted minister. This, however, is not an accurate assessment of the situation... -Jalal Alavi - 6/2/11

Iranian-German team monitoring Bisotun A team of Iranian and German experts has recently been assigned to monitor the ancient site of Bisotun during an 18-month project. The project is aimed at improving the methods for restoring and protecting the Achaemenid site, which was registered on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2006, Bisotun Cultural Heritage Center announced in a press release on Tuesday. - 6/2/11

Iran not Planning to Import Gasoline this Year The Islamic Republic of Iran is not planning to import petrol and diesel in its current financial year as it has stepped up domestic gas usage, a senior official at NIOC said on Tuesday. -Moj News - 6/2/11

Theatre in Iran forced to act with careThe spotlights blind and the music is deafening so that the theatre feels more like a discotheque than an auditorium. Offstage, a voice calls on the audience to wave their mobile phones and cigarette lighters "if you are in love". -Financial Times - 6/2/11

Iranian Activist Haleh Sahabi Dies In Scuffle At Her Father's Funeral Haleh Sahabi, the daughter of Iranian dissident Ezzatollah Sahabi died from a heart attack after security forces descended upon her father's funeral. Mizan website, the news outlet associated with the Nationalist-religious Coalition wrote: "A security official tried to grab a photo of Mr. Sahabi that Haleh Sahabi was pressing against her chest. The force of his action and her resistance caused her to fall, and then she did not rise." - 6/1/11

A Special Message from Anousheh Ansari On Friday, May 20, years of effort paid off with the announcement of the new multiple entry visa policy for Iranian students. You may know me as the first Iranian-American woman to go into space, but not long ago, I was just another Iranian student in the US and familiar with many challenges that students face as they pursue their dreams and a better life. - 6/1/11

Iran says does not arrest anyone just for being Bahai: Official "We do not capture anyone in our country for being a member of Bahai community, but we do not let expansion of the community, since we do not recognize it as a religion. We will deal with Bahai community members as we do regarding other people if they want to act beyond the system's rules," he said. - 6/1/11

Engaging Iran: First, Break the RulesThe relationship between Washington and Tehran has been bound by a set of rules that has perpetuated mutual mistrust for more than 30 years. Ultimately, the only way to break the stranglehold of these iron rules is through dialogue that cuts through the fear, hostility and stereotypes that have come to paralyze US-Iranian relations. -John Limbert, ISN - 6/1/11

Merkel Delay Due To 'Technical Fault' Iran has said a "technical problem" was to blame for briefly closing its airspace to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's plane as she flew to India, thereby delaying her arrival and sparking a diplomatic row. - 6/1/11